Porsche's latest 911 to last fourteen years, dowsized turbo engines under development

The new 991-generation of the Porsche 911 is now upon us, with the Carrera and Carrera S coupes unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. So what do you think? Because love it or hate it, it'll be around for a while; 14 years, if the latest reports prove accurate.

According to Car, the new 911 will be around for two seven-year product lifecycles. And over the course of its life, you can bet that it'll spawn as many derivatives as the model it replaces.

First down the pipeline will reportedly be the Cabriolet, expected to arrive in both regular (3.4-liter 350-horsepower flat-six) and S (3.8-liter/400hp) versions in 2012 with semi-rigid folding panels under a new type of fabric that will look like an ordinary convertible but offer more solidity once up and folding beneath a hard boot instead of a fabric tonneau cover.

Towards the end of next year, we're to expect the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S, followed by the 520-horsepower twin-spool 911 Turbo in 2013 and Turbo Cabrio in 2014, with the enthusiast's favorite 911 GT3 also arriving in 2013. The 911 Targa is tipped to go back in late 2013 or early 2014 from its sliding glass roof to a more conventional removable panel, with Speedster and hybrid versions also under consideration.

Porsche is also said to be developing a new generation of smaller-displacement turbo sixes to fit into the 911 in place of the ever-growing unit that has ballooned to as much as a four full liters in the GT3 RS 4.0. How Zuffenhausen will then differentiate the 911 Turbo when they've all got spools remains to be seen, but we'll reportedly have until 2015 to find out.

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"Love it hate it"
Love it = you like the 911
Hate it = you don't like the 911
*Obviousness Alert*
The 911 has changed very slowly on the exterior over the years.
http://www.notcot.com/images/2010/04/911evolution.jpg

I say it's better a product elicit either emotion from you, then a product that simply makes you go "Meh~"
Camry is about as bland as they come, if Porsche doesn't get their acts together, sooner or later even the purist will get sick of the same-old styling. Can you imagine what a 2025 Ferrari, Mercedes, Audi, GT-R or even Honda will look like? Can you imagine a 2025 Porsche 911 looking like the picture above? Antique~

personally,...one of the things that i find very "cool" about the 911 is the very fact that it DOESN'T change it's shape every couple a years,...they have argueably the most recognized auto shape in car history,...why would they want to ruin that?,...plus, actual porschephiles love the car and all it's idiosyncrisies,[ the best description i ever heard was"ass-engined nazi sled!"],...it's a quirky fast car,...not cookie-cutter mold that they change every few years,...that's one of the thing i love about it!

The design of the current 91's are relevant today, just as they've been relevant for decades. I don't look at a 911 and think it's stale, I look at it and want to drive it! Year in and year out a 911 (in whatever variant) is always among the best car you can buy for the money. Kudos to Porsche.

all i can say is, LOL!!! if you're sick of the 997 and it's near 30 DIFFERENT iterations, wait 10 more years... i'll bet you will condemn the 991..
seriously, porshce.. WTF... i hope this is a false report, because that is absurd, to say the least...
if i was in the market for a porshce, I wouldn't even consider a 991.. i would go for a 993, something more rare and exclusive. i feel like the 911 is becoming the corvette...

"i feel like the 911 is becoming the corvette..."
40 years in the process and now you notice this? What's next, "It feel's like the Mustang's been around forever"?
"Rare" and "exclusive" are some of the arrogant reasons for a person to ever want a car. Want the car because you want THE CAR, not because others can't get it.

i cannot understand why people are still passionate about the looks of the 911...it just doesnt look exciting anymore as we have seen the same shape over and over and over. its a icon yes, but for god sake add some variety to the lineup instead of thousand of 911s.
If i had the money to buy a expensive sportscar i would like some exclusivity, and for people to know for sure i am driving a NEW porsche, not get confused on whether its the one before. Also its not even a perfect evolution, looks odd with those front lower LEDs and the longer rear end and strange slim tail lights. But then again its all a matter of oppinion i guess....

I still think they look great personally. The car has had the same basic design forever why drastically change it now? Personally I think owning a Porsche in general would have some exclusivity. People aren't going to care that you own a 2006 or a 2012. If you need the HEY LOOK AT ME! type of car buy a Lamborghini or something more flashy. Personally the 1996ish Turbo is still one of my fav cars of all time and usually turns my head more than seeing a new one does.

I could agree with that. Much as I loved the first 356C I drove, it was a squirrelly little beast prone to throttle off snap oversteer...I learned quickly to keep my foot in it. Which fortunately wasn't hard because it had to be spun hard to go....